Get off the scale and get your nude booty in front of the mirror. It may not be your favorite household item, but the mirror is truly your best ally when it comes to seeing your weight-loss progress.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult for many women to wean themselves off of the bathroom scale because it gives them what seems like “direct” feedback. But consider this: The scale does not differentiate between your body’s lean mass and fat mass.

So, if you’ve been working out for two weeks and the number on the scale has gone up, don’t freak out. You’ve most likely gained muscle mass as you’ve lost fat mass, and you may even be retaining water, all of which add to that higher number.

Instead of going to the scale for feedback, take a good long look in the mirror. As your body composition changes from fat into lean tissue, you will notice visual improvements in muscle definition and body shape. And that’s the best kind of motivation for continuing with your fitness program.